white gold for earrings for sensitive ears?

[monarch64]

I have a question regarding earring metals for sensitive ears. I have had ongoing problems with nickel allergies ever since I was in second grade and had my ears pierced for the first time with surgical steel posts--I developed very swollen lymph nodes in my neck and head, the doctors my mother consequently took me to thought I had Hodgkin''s disease! After many tests, it was determined that I had inherited her allergy to nickel. I am able to wear yellow 14k gold on my skin, including my ears, but my wedding and e-ring are platinum. For a long time in my late teens and early 20''s, I was also able to wear sterling silver in my ears without much discomfort (unless I slept in s.s. earrings), but in the past year I have had horrible problems with sterling and find that wearing it in my ears for any amount of time breaks out my earlobes and I have to wear my old YG hoops for weeks! I have tried everything to avoid having my DH or myself spend more money on platinum earrings, including dipping my earring posts in antibiotic ointment, clear nail polish, etc. Has anyone else experienced this same dilemma? I thought I was in the clear after all these year, but my problem has seemed to rear its ugly head again! I''m not pregnant, nor have I been in the past. Could it be something in my diet that has changed and is setting me off again? Is it stress? And does white gold bother sensitive ears? Please advise.

 

[coda72]

It sounds like to me that you are experiencing an allergy again for whatever reason. If I were you, I''d switch over to platinum for your earrings. I think I have a slight allergy also because my white gold diamond earrings make my earlobes sensitive to the touch and sorry for the TMI but a slight bit of clear liquid also comes out of my ears when I wear them. I probably should have had my husband get me platinum ones instead, but I just didn''t want him to spend the money for it. Since your problem sounds much more severe than mine, I think you should definitely spring for the platinum, at least for the earrings that you wear the most.

 

[TheDoctor]

For a lot of people, it''s not a simple case of the metal used. Some people''s skin is more sensitive to bacteria and fungus invasion than others, and bacteria and fungus love the soft tissue of the earlobe. Yummy!
Before you go hog wild on conversion to platinum posts (not that they should really cost that much, anyway) you might try visiting a jeweller who has a good ultrasonic cleaner and having the earrings thoroughly cleaned. By thoroughly, I mean at least 15 minutes. Why?
Organic material trapped in jewellery that has been worn extensively is very gummy, and not quickly dissolved. Any goldsmith will tell you that the items left for repair in their workshops will produce puffs of rancid smoke when torch heated following a lengthy bath in a working ultrasonic cleaner with a strong detergent solution. It is truly gross what lives in your earrings.

So, try the cleaning methid before you jump to any conclusions about what is causing your affliction. If the earrings are brand new and hardly worn, then there is probably a metal reaction, but it''s less common than you might imagine.

 

[Kaleigh]

My daughter has very sensitive ears as well. She can''t wear white gold earrings. 14k yellow or platinum is what she can wear without a problem. Good luck!!

 

[coda72]

Monarch, The Doctor gives good advice. Try cleaning your earrings thoroughly first before jumping to conclusions. Unfortunately for me, my earrings are brand new from Christmas, plus I put them through the ultrasonic cleaner and the steamer after every time I wear them, so it sounds like I have a slight allergy. If your problem still continues after cleaning, you should probably switch to platinum.

 

[luckyhonu]

I have the same problem with my ears. I have 1 pair of 14K WG earrings that I had dipped in rhodium and that seemed to alleviate the problem.

I have a routine with my earrings. I clean my earrings in the ultrasonic after every time I wear them, then put them in a small dish with some rubbing alcohol before I wear them again. I can''t be too careful! This seems to work the best for me. I haven''t had any problems since.

 

[monarch64]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I really never thought about ultrasonically cleaning my earrings--I just use silver dip on my s/s earrings. I guess it''s about time for me to buy an ultrasonic cleaner anyway. I''m thinking I will also purchase some inexpensive 14k white gold earrings and see what happens with those before going with platinum.

 

[princessv]

Interesting thread!

A hint that I was really allergic to even 14kt gold, it took my ears over 1 1/2 years to heal after getting them pierced.

I do have pierced ears today but as I found out recently I am allergic to my white gold e-ring.

Although I did wear a 24kt gold ring all day yesterday and today just to see if I had an allergy (which I don''t!) I guess the gold content is much higher and made with alot less alloy.

monarch64: I''m like you with sterling silver...I hope my allergy doesn''t worsen or else I''ll have to go the plat way!

 

[blodthecat]

I would try platinum...but if your ears are still tender, then i would let them heal, rather than risk swollen lymph nodes.

My daughter had the same problem, and it wasn''t worth the hassle. She is quite happy to wear clip-on earring now.

Blod

 

[tulip928]

I''ve seen WG earrings made by Leech and Garner under the brand name Eternagold on QVC.com. They are nickle-free and they are marketed towards people who are usually allergic to white gold and silver jewelry.

 

[monarch64]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I thoroughly cleaned a favorite pair of sterling earrings that I had been wearing for a couple of years and wore them today (my ears had healed from the last bout of allergies) and guess what? Same thing! We are visiting our jeweler tomorrow, I''m going to see if he has any suggestions on WG and also price some platinum earrings while we are there.

Blod: I wore clip ons for years after my first piercings when I was 8-14...no matter what metal, s/s, 14k yg, they also broke me out! I am just a freak! My mother has the same allergy, so I guess I inherited it from her. She actually turns green from even YG, though...I fortunately don''t have THAT problem! (Yes, the gold was stamped "14k".)